


Misunderstandings

by ImagineShannons



Series: Single Chapter Works [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Artist Steve Rogers, Bisexual Bucky Barnes, Bottom Steve, Bucky you lil shit, Elevators, First Meetings, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Natasha Is a Good Bro, One Shot, POV Steve Rogers, Pining, Pining Steve Rogers, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-03
Updated: 2015-07-03
Packaged: 2018-04-07 11:51:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4262301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImagineShannons/pseuds/ImagineShannons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>‘we take the same elevator every day and due to a misunderstanding I assumed you didn’t speak English and I’ve been talking to my friend about how hot you are for three weeks and apparently my friend has known from the start but you agreed not to tell me bc you both think it’s hilarious what the fuck’ au</p>
            </blockquote>





	Misunderstandings

**Author's Note:**

> Thinking of updating a second chapter! Thoughts?

After the hell that was his last neighbour, Steve was happy to hear that someone new was moving in down the hall. What he was not prepared for however was him to be so ridiculously hot.

—

He was on the phone trying to negotiate with Natasha, though anyone who knew her knew it was a fruitless cause.

“Yeah it’s on Wednesday Nat, can’t Clint go some other time?” He pressed the call button on the elevator and settled in for a response he knew would wear him down to eventually reschedule the large gathering he had planned for the following week. He watched tracked the elevator’s decent via the numbers above the door, waiting of the ‘DING’ that would signal it’s arrival.

“No Steve, you know he’d never consider missing it, the carnivals only in town for the one night. He’s already bought the tickets and planned our route and seating position for optimal spectating ‘fun’.” Steve’s initial lack of response at assured Natasha that she secured Clint the night out he’d been talking about all week. However, when Steve remained silent, she grew worried. What she didn’t know was a tall brunette had caught the elevator door as it began to shut and stood, imposingly in the corner as he spoke quickly into a phone in what Steve assumed to be Russian, having heard Nat speak it a couple of times.

“Holy crap Nat I’m in love” Steve blurted, not worried about the Russian stranger overhearing or understanding him.

“What? You’re not making any sense.” Natasha was completely derailed form the conversation.

Steve was in awe of the stranger’s back, unable to respond to Nat’s worried questioning. It was only Natasha’s “Steve? Hello?” that brought Steve out of his silent marvelling of the attractive stranger. “Sorry, Nat there’s a guy on here that surprised me.”

“You realise your silent gaping probably tipped him off of that? Just say hi, Steve. Use your words.”

“I can’t, he wouldn't understand me even if I said: ‘Hey hot stuff, my place or yours?’. He’s talking is some different language, Russian, I think,” Or rather, Steve prayed he couldn’t as the unnamed stranger was throwing a smirk at him over his shoulder. His mind screamed at him to avert his eyes, blushing furiously at the ground. “I doubt I'll see him again. No one’s that lucky.”

“Russian? Try pointing the mic towards him.” Steve did as instructed, lifting the phone’s microphone up toward the strangers now once again forward facing head.

Nat headed the foreign affairs department of Stark industries. The owner of the company, Tony Stark, was good friends with both of them and trusted Nat explicitly to be his right hand on all international contracts. Doesn’t sound that exciting but she was multilingual so could curse you out in about eight different languages in one breath. She had fit in immediately, competently handling herself in business environments and quickly getting Tony whatever he wanted out of deals. She had the charm found commonly within politicians or other such liars that drew in even the most defensive people. 

Steve quickly jerked the phone away from his ear when a loud laugh cut through Natasha’s thoughtful silence. “Nat? What’s going on? What are they saying?”

“Nothing, he’s just talking about the weather and wondering why some weirdo is staring at him in such a confined space.”

After a quick, worried look at the strangers broad back and head, Steve replied, “Oh haha. You’re so funny, what’s really going on?”

“Of course I am Steve but you already knew that. They’re talking about some deal coming up at work.”

“Why do you do this to me, you had me going for a second there.”

“Because you’re the most gullible person I know”

“Hey!”

“Don’t like the answers, don’t ask the questions.”

“Alright, I have to go, tell everyone we’ll meet up Thursday instead.”

“Yay, thanks, Steve. Clint is gonna love you for this.”

“Yeah yeah just make sure everyone’s okay for Thursday.”

“Aye aye, Cap. I’m on it." To his dismay, Steve was slowed from getting out of the elevator by the stranger who had hung up his phone and tried to step out just as Steve passed him. They were pushed together as they exited the door at the same time and fell apart into the hallway. Embarrassed for cutting him up, Steve smiled apologetically to the man which was returned with some mirth. He quickly turned and paced to his apartment door, noting the strangers trek to the recently occupied apartment. _Hmm, maybe I am that lucky._

Once inside his apartment, Steve put the stranger out of his mind and started on completing his assignments from work. More designs for the advertising campaign of a new product being released in a few months.

—

For the following weeks, Steve continuously would be minding his own business when BAM! the stranger turned up and he was left unable to function further than weakly returning the amused smiles that were thrown his way by his new neighbour. _He must think I’m some pathetic idiot, staring at him all the time._

He wasn’t proud to admit it but when he was in proximity to the stranger, whether it be in the elevator, halls or reception he would just happen to NEED to phone Nat right that instant and immediately gush about him and try to figure out if he was talking about him if he was on the phone, he felt like a teenage girl. After a while this became routine and Nat wouldn’t even try to cut him off anymore, knowing Steve had no other outlet he trusted as much as her. She even grew to ask questions and encourage Steve’s flow of admiration, though she was not proud of her actions given the small detail she had left out in their first conversation about the stranger.

On the morning marking the three week anniversary of their meeting Steve had given up hope, he knew that a relationship would never work when they both spoke different languages and even if they were able to talk, he couldn’t even work up the guts to approach the guy. When he entered the elevator to leave for work he was alone and his heart sank. That was, until a hand jutted out and grabbed the doors just before they were able to close. Steve jumped for the open button to aid the bodiless hand and when his crush was revealed blood raised to his cheeks. The stranger stepped in, standing less than a foot from Steve. They rode in silence down the floors and Steve couldn’t move, this was the closest he’d ever been to the man. Steve noticed the height the man had on him, about a foot, and the lazy bun raked onto the top of his head. He was wearing a loose t-shirt and tracksuit bottoms, the opposite of Steve’s neat slacks and shirt but he was a sight to be seen nevertheless.

As the doors dragged themselves open the man turned to Steve and winked playfully and smiled. “Thanks” he spoke with a faint Brooklyn accent and strolled straight through the lobby to the street outside. Steve was horrified.

—

The whole day he spent distracted at work, going over every incriminating thing he had ever said to Nat in front of his now clearly not-so-Russian neighbour. Betrayal and humiliation were the final outcomes of this activity as Nat had listened in multiple times to his conversations and never told him he was aware of what Steve was saying. He could hate her right now if it weren’t for that second feeling. The one that made him want to crumple into a ball and never return to his apartment building again, he was so embarrassed he didn’t think he could ever face the stranger again. In his lunch he stepped outside quickly and called his traitorous friend.

“Heya, what’s going on?” Nat’s calm, nonchalant voice said through the receiver.

“The jigs up! I know he speaks English.” Needing no more prompting Nat began to laugh down the receiver.

“Alright. He knows what you’ve been saying. He’s actually here right now. Say hey!” A quiet voice could be heard moaning at Nat. “Awwh come on Barnes, you told me you liked him earlier!” Despite this betrayal, a slight blush crept onto Steve’s face.

“So what, did you set me up? This isn’t funny Nat now I have to move so I never have to face this.”

“No I never ‘set you up’ it’s a funny story actually.” The amusement in her voice just served to agitate Steve further.

“I can assure you, from where I’m standing, this isn’t funny”

“Okay so it may not be funny ‘haha’ but it is funny see, James actually works over at Stark Industries with me.” She said as if that explained everything.

“I’m not seeing the funny here Nat.”

“When you first saw him, he was discussing a private business deal, we’re very confidential with the details so I have everyone speak in the language which whom they are dealing with upon being brief as to avoid sensitive information being leaked. I heard ol’ Barnesy boy talking about one of our deals and the rest is history.”

“You never thought to tell me? He probably thinks I’m some creep now. Oh god.”

“Well, the first talk I was debating it and then I talked to James the next day and he thought it was adorably hilarious so we figured we’d let you have your say and you did indeed.”

“What the hell Nat.”

“Don’t worry, if it’s any conciliation, he thinks you’re pretty ‘gorgeous’ too.” He heard a cry from the background and again blushed profusely. “Alright Steve it was great catching up but we got some work to do here.” The line was dead before he could utter a reply.

Returning home that night was an anxious affair. Steve knew from his daily routine that the stranger – James - would be returning at around the same time and so he was debating stopping at the coffee shop around the corner from his apartment building for an hour to avoid him. He quickly dismissed this idea though, he was an adult with a job and his own apartment, he could face the man for one short elevator ride.

This confidence depleted the instant his eyes made contact with the shape of a man leaning against the wall outside the elevator, looking down at his shoes. As he made his reluctant approach, James raised his head to greet Steve. Their eyes met and an apologetic smile graced James’ face. Steve tried to ignore him and continue on, but he had positioned himself in front of the call button.

“Hey,” James spoke weakly.

“What do you want?” Steve asked, eyes looking everywhere but at him, wishing himself anywhere else.

“To apologise. What we did was pretty shitty.” His voice sounded sincere but Steve was side lined by his last sentence.

“You could say that again.” Steve scoffed, he thought the understatement was almost offensive.

“What we did was pretty shitty.” James’ voice was lighter, joking.

A chuckle had escaped Steve before he could stop it but he steeled his features and his eyes met James’ once again. “Look, I know you probably hate me a little bit and I don’t blame you, you must feel humiliated. I just wanted to say sorry.”

“You must think I’m some pathetic idiot.”

“Well, how about you give me a reason not to, I know a coffee place not far from here. I-if, that is if you’re not busy?” The stammer was very humanising to hear from such a beautiful person and Steve thought for a minute maybe he wasn’t the only one interested 

Steve thought about it for a minute, he had an assignment due next month which he was pretty much finished, what did he have to lose? “Sure James.”

“Oh no, _you_ get to call me Bucky.” He winked again at Steve and began to lead him out. “You coming?”

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys if you liked this and there's any specific Stucky stuff that you want to see, comment and I will try to fit each one into one of my next fics, thanks


End file.
